NCAA panel seeks concussion clarity

Published 12:00 am, Thursday, April 29, 2010

An NCAA panel is recommending that schools come up with a detailed plan on how to handle an athlete with a concussion, including exactly who has the authority to clear that person to play again.

In December, the NCAA committee responsible for safety recommended sidelining an athlete with concussion-related symptoms until cleared by a health care provider.

Now, the panel wants schools to write up specific plans for how that evaluation process will work.

“The committee reviewed clearance,” said Dave Klossner, the NCAA’s health and safety director. “They want to have a physician involved at some point in the process, so that’s basically a standard of care.”

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In its recommendations late last year, the committee said a loss of consciousness, amnesia or persistent confusion should keep a player out of competition for the remainder of the day with no exceptions. Now, the panel suggests extending that prohibition to anyone diagnosed with a concussion.

“Once symptoms are noticed, they are removed from play and then evaluated by a health care provider with experience in the evaluation and management of concussions,” Klossner said. “If they make a diagnosis of a concussion, then the new recommendation is that that individual will not return to activity the remainder of the day. ... It goes beyond just the three identified symptoms.”